Joe Cocker - 'With a Little Help From My Friends'.
― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
Some examples of covers first encountered this way: that version of Baby I Don't Care by that girl from Brookside (admittedly an execrable song to start with); that trance-lite version of Like a Prayer; and the trance-lite version of T-Rex's Ride a White Swan. This'd probably get my vote for worst cover. I can't remember the artiste in question, but it came out last year and was certainly the subject of a rightfully appalled ILM thread back then too!
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:52 (twenty-one years ago) link
Good call with the Massive Attack one too, stevem - that is dire beyond all belief.
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:54 (twenty-one years ago) link
I don't know how to paste links here, but this is the thread about the trance-lite Ride a White Swan cover.
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 09:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
i was really hoping this would be the case of Fast Food Rockers
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
How can a great song like that, sung with such brilliance by Almond be massacred in such a drudge-like, flat, expressionless way?
Apparently Alond 'doesn't mind' Gray's version.... but then,with the cash it brought in, he wouldn't, would he?
― russ t, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― adam b (adam b), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
A: By being performed by Davi Gray.
― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
― russ t, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 11:56 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Siegbran (eofor), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:04 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
Could this possibly have been David Gray?
― bham, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
― russ t, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:39 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Siegbran (eofor), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 12:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 13:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 13:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 13:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
― tacit (tacit), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 13:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
GREAT BAND NAME ALERT!!!!!
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 13:42 (twenty-one years ago) link
― abeta, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
I also seem to remember that around about 1994 there was a eurodance cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by some woman who was called Melanie (no surname, just Melanie). I remember my friends talking to me about it at the time, and apparently she got onto Top Of The Pops with this thing. I never heard it, and still haven't to this day. I would imagine that would be pretty bad, tho.
― Chriddof (Chriddof), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
Hmmm... this page claims that a band called Melanie's Breast covered "Heart Shaped Box"...
― Nick Mirov (nick), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
For some reason I've always thought it would be entirely comprised of synths and drums and that it would have ditched the guitar.
― Chriddof (Chriddof), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― daria g (daria g), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
― russ t, Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Old Fart!!! (oldfart_sd), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 15:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
The whole white trash slant (think Nicks/Henley) makes it even more excruciating.
It's easy to badly remake a good song ... but to desecrate originals that were bad in the first place is a true sign of a horrible cover.
― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 16:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
"God Only Knows" by Captain & Tenille
(Wasn't there several "worst covers ever" threads here?)
― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 16:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
Special mention: Joss Stone "Fell In Love With A Boy"
― Carlos C., Thursday, 30 June 2005 03:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― kevin says relax (daddy warbuxx), Thursday, 30 June 2005 04:08 (nineteen years ago) link
not butchered but just like what was the point?
― Declan Zimmerman, Thursday, 30 June 2005 06:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― cicatrix, Thursday, 30 June 2005 06:43 (nineteen years ago) link
― flinck, Thursday, 30 June 2005 08:27 (nineteen years ago) link
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 30 June 2005 12:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― C11 (C11), Thursday, 30 June 2005 13:18 (nineteen years ago) link
― JAS, Thursday, 30 June 2005 16:36 (nineteen years ago) link
"Let's Go All The Way" (Sly Fox) - covered by the Insane Clown Posse.
John -- YSI?
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 00:41 (nineteen years ago) link
YSI is slow. I will report back later w/the link.
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 01:17 (nineteen years ago) link
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2CRQSVJMGJYZC2QB50WXIWPMMZ
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 01:30 (nineteen years ago) link
I just don't get it.
― nicholas de jong (nicholas de jong), Friday, 1 July 2005 01:34 (nineteen years ago) link
Pretty fucking horrible, eh?
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 03:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 03:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 03:37 (nineteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 03:58 (nineteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 04:00 (nineteen years ago) link
So I'm starting to reevaluate my position, having listened to both, and I'm going back to the ICP as my top choice. Perhaps the Snow Patrol was so new and awful that my judgement was clouded...then I listened to "Let's Go All The Way" again, and was galvanized in my hatred.
Who can topple the ICP? I call you out. Links/YSI are requested...
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 04:11 (nineteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 04:13 (nineteen years ago) link
MUST KNOW MORE EVIL!
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 04:16 (nineteen years ago) link
However, "If You Could Read My Mind" is a giant among songs. Lots of artists could try to cover it and not be up to the task (I'm sure many have tried). On the other hand, how hard can it possibly be to pull off a half-decent cover of "Let's Go All the Way"? How could ICP screw it up so badly (besides the fact that they're, you know, ICP). They definitely score points for that "achievement".
Uploading to YSI is slow here for some reason but I'll post something as soon as I can.
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 05:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 05:12 (nineteen years ago) link
Stars on 54 - If You Could Read My Mind
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 1 July 2005 05:14 (nineteen years ago) link
http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=05TMK0IU4V0QA3G9W62W45N1UP
the point was that they were commissioned to do the cover for TV ads for the video release of The Graduate.
Frente's cover of "Bizarre Love Triangle" totally misses the point. I despise it. Tailor-made cutesy shite for 14 yr old girls to write diary entries to. I just don't get it.
the Frente one is pretty much a cover of the Even As We Speak version, incidentally
― kit brash (kit brash), Friday, 1 July 2005 05:44 (nineteen years ago) link
Yuck.
I'm so torn...I'll cast my vote later.
― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 1 July 2005 05:49 (nineteen years ago) link
― Anna (Anna), Friday, 1 July 2005 09:11 (nineteen years ago) link
― Philip Alderman (Phil A), Friday, 1 July 2005 10:16 (nineteen years ago) link
― C11 (C11), Friday, 1 July 2005 11:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 2 July 2005 02:39 (nineteen years ago) link
This is *exactly* how I feel about the Snow Patrol cover. Though when I can, I'll have to download the ICP track just for comparison.
― alex in montreal (alex in montreal), Saturday, 2 July 2005 02:43 (nineteen years ago) link
― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 2 July 2005 02:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Sunday, 3 July 2005 00:40 (nineteen years ago) link
Coldplay doing Kylie is the latest in the long line of indie covers of pop hits, I hate the sense of smug satisfaction they give off, as if they're elevating the original to their deep and meaningful level of rock. Likewise Travis doing Hit Me Baby a few years back and Jo WHiley gushing over it.
The Vines' Miss Jackson - absolutely criminal.
Still not heard this Snow Patrol thing. Thank goodness.
Christ, I've never heard the Stereophonics Nothing Compares 2U. Sounds ghastly.
I once heard some bar band do Waiting For The Man as a good time blues rock number. Oh dear oh dear...
― Stew (stew s), Sunday, 3 July 2005 12:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 3 July 2005 13:46 (nineteen years ago) link
The execrable Kerbdog, however, managed to release a single with two utterly pointless and ham-fisted covers on the B-side ("Kennedy" and "Debaser").
While on the subject of the Weddoes, much as I love them they've murdered their fair share as well (notably "I Found that Essence Rare").
― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Sunday, 3 July 2005 16:32 (nineteen years ago) link
Japan's version of I second that emotion is dreadful. David Sylvian look so sad in the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rhsA3uIG3Q
― ConnieXX, Sunday, 20 April 2008 10:23 (sixteen years ago) link
Sheryl Crow's version of "Sweet Child O' Mine" sucks more balls than I heretofore imagined possilble. Search Luna instead.
― Pillbox, Sunday, 20 April 2008 10:54 (sixteen years ago) link
Don't know if it's worst ever but i was never so CRUSHED by one when when I heard Lior (folksy dude with a voice smoother than butter) singing Neil Young's "Needle and the Damage Done". Niel's shaky delivery is what made that sone so agonisingly beautiful and hand made. Lior turned it into something that sits on a supermarket shelf.
― fantasimundo, Sunday, 20 April 2008 13:04 (sixteen years ago) link
The Vines - Ms Jackson
― Dom Passantino, Sunday, 20 April 2008 13:18 (sixteen years ago) link
i wonder what polkadots00 really means it when she\he says that song "gets under my skin and seeps into my viens lol" . it made me feel kind of sick while listening.
― fantasimundo, Sunday, 20 April 2008 13:34 (sixteen years ago) link
You wouldn't necessarily expect it, but Nine Inch Nails' cover of Soft Cell's "Memorabilia" is a joke
I'm sure that some of the covers mentioned here are in fact worse, but if you're only considering those cover versions undertaken by bands that are actually better than the artist they're covering, I'd bet NIN's "Memorabilia" takes the cake.
It also occurs to me now that the Stones' "Dancing In The Streets" would be up there in this category as well.
― SecondBassman, Sunday, 20 April 2008 14:28 (sixteen years ago) link
http://liveaid.free.fr/rewind/bbc/images/047dancing/03.jpg
L-R: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
― Noodle Vague, Sunday, 20 April 2008 14:39 (sixteen years ago) link
― and what, Thursday, 13 November 2008 00:30 (fifteen years ago) link
Is that dude Australian? If not why does he dress like that?
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, 13 November 2008 00:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Here's Hard-Fi doing "Love Is Gone" by David Guetta:
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, 13 November 2008 00:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Here's Hard-Fi doing "Toxic" by Britney Spears
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, 13 November 2008 00:36 (fifteen years ago) link
Here's Hard Fi doing "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes
― Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Thursday, 13 November 2008 00:38 (fifteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KntktTJkk
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 5 May 2021 21:09 (three years ago) link